If Obama loses the general election, who will you blame?

[MannyGoldstein]

If, God forbid, some teabagger nut is inaugurated on 1/20/2013, whose fault will it be?

[ProSense]

1. "If, God forbid, some teabagger nut is inaugurated on 1/20/2013, whose fault will it be?"

Not mine, my vote will have gone to Obama.

Egotistical pondering: If things suck on 1/20/2013, will you say I told you so?

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

7. He

earned mine. Now speak for yourself, as I did.

"Not to mention any names ..... The blatant sycophancy isn't helpful ... at all ... "

You know what would help: this

And did I mention that 82 percent of Democrats (91 percent of liberal Democrats) want the President reelected

"blatant sycophancy"

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

26. "ask her to name one thing that Obama has ever done that wasn't perfect. I'm sure she'll oblige"

He hasn't held a press conference to to tell the chronic complainers and willfully ignorant whiners to kiss his...never mind!

He's not perfect!

[MannyGoldstein]

29. See! I knew you could prove you're not a sycophant.

Thanks for coming through.

[ProSense]

30. My pleasure! n/t

[CakeGrrl]

46. But don't you know,

he's been slapping, kicking and punching certain corners of the Left up, down and sideways since he took office. Apparently he has a "Sit down and shut up" signal that only certain people can hear.

[Skittles]

88. no

there's no signal - it's loud and clear except to people like this:

[woolldog]

32. lol

[Tx4obama]

6. My vote and those of my family will go to Obama too :) n/t

[Fearless]

10. You decide how your family votes? My my... n/t

[Tx4obama]

35. Huh? Who said that?

I don't decide how they vote, they're big Obama supporters and will happily vote for Obama on their own ;)

[Demit]

13. "If things suck on 1/20/2013, will you say I told you so?" What does that even mean?

That you think they won't? Are things going to get magically better between now and then?

[ProSense]

17. Hmmmm?

"Are things going to get magically better between now and then? "

No, they'll "get magically better" after a Republican is elected and everyone agrees where the blame lies.

[Demit]

21. I'm afraid I still am not following your train of thought.

[polmaven]

54. And your effort as well,

I'm sure. I will do all I can to be sure he is re-elected, and that will include door to door, phone bank, sign holding, etc., etc. Whatever it takes. and I am sure you will do those things as well.

[Zorra]

68. Maybe if you put a little pressure on your guy to rein in wealthy private interests

instead of doing things like defending his destructive pro-corporate bipartisan endeavors, the Prez would have done the things necessary to instill confidence in his base.

Do you think we didn't have great hopes for what he would do? Do you think we are bashing him just because we love bashing him? We don't. All of us understand what he was up against when he took office. He lost our respect by not standing his ground against the GOP. He lost the respect of many Independents because of this as well.

Most traditional Democrats want him to take a firm stand, and take action, against the wealthy private interests that have co-opted our government.

We despise everything that the GOP stands for, and we want our President to stand against them and their policies and always act like a Democrat, particularly in the area of representing the interests of the majority of Americans faced with the specter of the ever increasing wealth and power of wealthy private interests with malicious intent towards us and our democracy.

This statement by Harry Truman is cliche, but it is the truth:

"Given the choice between a Republican and someone who acts like a Republican, people will vote for the real Republican all the time"

Then again, even if he had no support from anywhere, I'm sincerely not sure he would even care. I'm not sure what his priorities are or where his loyalties lay, and this ambiguity is disturbing and makes me highly suspicious. Does he even care if he loses?

Is he the set-up guy for the Republican closer? And the real question is:

Why in creation do I have to be even asking this question?

He's simply not getting it done. He does not appear to many of us to be even trying to get it done.

Of course, I am compelled by conscience to vote for him in 2012. It would be irresponsible and childish of me to withhold my vote. If there is anyone that detests the GOP and their policies more than me, I'd love to meet them. Obama, I believe, will surely be better than an out republican, won't he?

Rose colored glasses don't do anything for most of us long-time progressive yellowdog Democrats.

My vote will go to Obama, but if he squanders the election, remember I told you so.

Because I won't be throwing that in your face, and I won't be smug about being right again.

Most likely I'll be packing because I'll be leaving the country again, like I did in early 2001, for very similar reasons.

[trayfoot]

89. It will be the left's fault...

and if Perry or someone like him is elected, this country can kiss the "social safety net" good-bye! I sincerely hope and pray the left wakes up before it is too late!

[Life Long Dem]

93. Same here.

Not my fault because my vote will go for Obama.

[onehandle]

2. The new voters from 2008, who didn't show up in 2010. nt

[teachthemwell15]

96. Totally agree. NT

[coalition_unwilling]

4. I voted for 4 and 5 and then realized that I should have voted Other, b/c

the blame really attaches to Obama's political staff and his Chief(s) of Staff, Emmanuel and now Daley.

[Kermitt Gribble]

78. Wouldn't the blame lie with the person who hired the staffers? n/t

[RC]

5. The guy who primaried him?

Oh, you're assuming Obama runs for a second term. Got it.

[rpannier]

8. Other

With more than a year to go I'll have to see what he does/doesn't do should he lose.

[JohnnyLib2]

9. Gloomy thought, but 4 & 5.

"The buck stops here."

[Cali_Democrat]

11. It will clearly be Obama's own fault if he loses

I'm sure even he would tell you that.

[Telly Savalas]

12. "The people who didn't vote for him" is conspiculously absent as a choice

and since it's the most obvious choice, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around what you're trying to achieve here.

[Demit]

18. I think that's understood as a direct cause. The more interesting question would be why they didn't.

Why would a man who generated such enthusiasm in 2008 not get all those votes again? It's a really good question.

[jefferson_dem]

14. Unrec...

For unwarranted doomsday fatalism pretending to be a poll.

[TrainToCry]

15. I will personally blame you.

[MannyGoldstein]

16. I'm flattered and weirded out, nt

[TrainToCry]

19. isn't that what you wanted to hear? not dramatic enough for you?

[MannyGoldstein]

23. Sorry, I guess I'm a little tired tonight

Not getting it.

[Cali_Democrat]

24. What...the....

:crazy:

[stockholmer]

36. I 'unblame you' so blame is back to an even zero

[muffin1]

71. !

:rofl:

[hay rick]

28. It takes a lot to laugh...around here.

Welcome to DU. Great name.

The correct answer was 4&5.

[rug]

20. If he loses the working class he has only his policies to blame.

http://www.unionofunemployed.com/blog/recent-news/two-million-working-class-voters/

[Smarmie Doofus]

25. The correct answer is 4 and 5. nt

[nevergiveup]

27. All of the above, the media, the original poster and yes, myself too.

[GodlessBiker]

31. I would blame the people who didn't vote for him.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AngkorWot]

34. all the scum suckers that didn't vote for him.

[stockholmer]

37. so to not be a 'scum-sucker' you have to accept a corporatist so-called Democrat?

:shrug:

[Number23]

38. God, I'm so sick of crap like this

Every day, one stupid poll after another. And it seems as if these polls are the only reason that people from GD come to GD-P, to skew their results.

Why is THIS what so many of you spend your energy on?

[CakeGrrl]

44. Because it's a cathartic avoidance mechanism

To spare the acknowledgment that the views held here are outliers against poll after poll taken outside the DU bubble?

I'm in total agreement with you. Golly, what is the point of putting up a poll that says "Which President of the last 50 years do you admire most?" It's just another way of saying "We still all hate Obama, don't we?"

:eyes:

[FrenchieCat]

39. Won't matter......

as there will be more than enough blame to go around,
and I'm not sure how playing the blame game keeps a conservative
from getting on the Supreme court. I don't think it does.

So little time, like only 2.8 years,
and so much bullshit spewed for like 2.8 years!

[CakeGrrl]

45. A GOP SCOTUS for the foreseeable future? There you go with scare tactics!

Apparently, "scare tactics" is the new avoidance euphemism for "reality check".

:crazy:

[Chan790]

62. A college professor of mine...

a rather-bright chap and a prominent liberal political theorist, over drinks told us his thinking:

"Any time a sitting president loses re-election, anyone casting blame further or wider than that President is fucking nitwit and should be viewed as dangerously confused or holding ulterior motives. Ultimately the responsibility of effectiveness of any Presidency lies only at the feet of that President. No other single person in this nation's government is entrusted with so much power nor deserves so much responsibility when it is not used appropriately or effectively."

The President he was expecting to lose a second term and ignite the blamestorm was of-course Dubya...oh if only.

If Obama loses, I blame Obama. Not his handlers, not the tea party, not the left, not labor, not moderates, not his cabinet or staff. Barack Obama and only Barack Obama. Forced to choose a second...I'd have to choose they who holler from the rafters "If you criticize the President for not supporting Democratic ideals, then you must want Rick Perry for President." There is nothing so damaging to this Presidency as the scare tactics cheerleaders.

[Rowdyboy]

40. 5,4,2 and 1.....in that order

There will be plenty of blame to go around at President Perry's inauguration

[ZombieHorde]

41. The laws of causation. nt

[GSLevel9]

42. of course BLAME OBAMA himself... nt

[CakeGrrl]

43. The people WHO DIDN'T EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE.

No damned excuse when it comes to keeping the GOP out of the WH.

None.

[Bobbie Jo]

47. 1.

Of course.

Own it.

[mikekohr]

48. He won't. Hypothetically moot point.

[Pisces]

49. Maybe your fault.

[ClassWarrior]

50. I blame it on Rio.

NGU.

[FrenchieCat]

51. Or perhaps, it's not to late to Blame the Clenis!

After all, whenever the GOP attacked Bill Clinton (which was often),
Democrats from all over staunchly defended him by saying
"they blame everything on the Clenis!"

Perhaps if Obama would behave as Bill Clinton did, the Democrats would unite to his defense,
and elect him one more time like they did Clinton!

A Girl can dream for equal treatment, can't she. :shrug:

[Supersedeas]

58. Do you mean treat policy differences the same way the Monica affair was treated?

[racaulk]

60. I didn't realize Clinton ran for reelection after the Lewinsky scandal. n/t

[SwampG8r]

65. no man is made taller by tearing down another

support for democrats only extends so far i guess if you are free to slam clinton when he isnt even part of the discussion
i find it intriguing that those screaming for "loyalty" feel free to attack any other dem if it is believed to help their argument

[emsimon33]

52. Who keeps unrecommending this??????

[Bobbie Jo]

56. Me.

Once every 30 minutes, at least. Time for someone else to take over, I have to get to work.

[ZombieHorde]

94. Funny! nt

[Vinca]

53. If Obama loses, it will be Obama's fault.

The Indies he's so hot to attract will not fall in line over signing more trade agreements that will cost us more jobs. I wish someone would talk some sense into the man.

[Shrek]

55. SCOTUS, Diebold, Nader, Swift Boaters, electoral college, and Katherine Harris n/t

[alcibiades_mystery]

57. I don't know who I would blame

But I certainly could name some people here who will then deserve everything they get.

I'm not sure this board could survive it. Not because of the supposed conflict between so-called "centrists" and so-called "progressives," but rather because the so-called "progressives" will look rather silly criticizing a Republican administration that they helped put into power.

[cpwm17]

95. If Obama had an (R) by his name, would you vote for him?

If Obama was the exact same president, except his party affiliation, with identical policies, positions, speeches, etc. Would you support him? Or is it the (D) that you support?

He seems very Republican to many people. In fact his former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner are (were) Republicans. Timothy Geithner switched to Independent for political reasons to get a position in the Clinton administration. Hillary Clinton was a Goldwater Republican, and she's never known a war that she didn't like, except the one that Bill Clinton had to avoid. Right-wingers almost as far as the eye can see - including President Obama.

I wouldn't vote for him if he had an (R) by his name, and I won't vote for him with a (D) by is name.

[Enrique]

59. Jane Hamsher

and Cornel West and Tavis Smiley and Cenk Uygur. ;-)

[Evergreen Emerald]

61. The American people... who continue to ignore reality

and have very short attention spans. They believe the lies and distortions by those who are willing to destroy America to gain power.

[BlueMTexpat]

63. Other.

Endless DU polls like this one.

[Peacetrain]

64. Well Manny he is not going to lose the election, so I am not going to blame anyone

for something that has not happened or will happen

[Danger Mouse]

66. America. I'll blame America.

[Union Scribe]

81. Does "America" include its leaders--include Obama?

Or just the peons beneath?

[Jakes Progress]

67. The fault will lie with the former Democrats

who became fans instead of patriots and egged on the right wing agenda portions of the administration. Were Obama to live up to half of promise of his campaign and used just half the golden opportunity handed him, he would win in a walk. Timidity and inexperience and an inability to tell good advice from bad has been his undoing.

[Honeycombe8]

69. "It's the economy, stupid." That's what will determine if O wins re-election. nt

[Dawgs]

70. How will someone know if the "purity left" doesn't vote?

Sounds like the same shit we see here everyday, where a cheerleader is clueless about how the "purists" REALLY feel.

[workinclasszero]

72. 4 and 5

Candidate Obama was the new FDR.:toast:

President Obama is the new Hoover.:cry:

[blkmusclmachine]

73. Obama said multiple times he's OK with 1 term:

Makes me believe that 1 term was all he was told he was getting. :tinfoilhat:

[DCBob]

74. If he loses it will be because of the economy..

nobody particulary to blame except maybe the Republicans for refusing to cooperate on anything.

[BlueIris]

75. Obama, for failing to govern. nt

[scheming daemons]

76. Hard to vote for your 4th and 5th options since neither are accurate

[swilton]

77. Not only has Obama mooned the left and working families

those policies have ripple affects on his campaign strategy - having adopted the Republican themes of deficit reduction, continuing wars, and favoring corporations - he has nothing left to campaign on that distinguishes him from the GOP.
His entire administration from spirit to substance is a disaster.

[Raine]

79. Obama himself nt

[Vattel]

80. I will blame Obama supporters at DU

for not posting enough lists.

[Cosmocat]

82. The same twits who voted for W TWICE ...

It really would lie at the hands of the country as a whole.

[robcon]

83. Blame the same people as for the loss of the House in '10: 'professional left' & their followers

Showing up for the election, and re-electing President Obama is critical.

[animato]

90. ALSO young people, that is critical only 1 in 10 showed up in 2010 n/t

[Whisp]

84. can't wait for Obama to get his Presidency over

so I don't have to read crap like this a 1265 times a day.

[BreweryYardRat]

85. Other.

1. The teabagger nutjobs, for voting while being ignorant, spiteful, greedy, stupid, bigoted, mule-fucking dumbasses -- or some portion of the above adjectives.

2. The Purity Left, for not voting.

I think President Obama could have done a better job than he has. I know he's an improvement on anyone the Republicans will offer in 2012.

[Ozymanithrax]

86. James Carville, because

"Its the economy stupid."

If Obama loses, it will be the economy, because a majority of those who vote decided he did not solve the economic problems that brought him into office.

It will not be liberals fed up with what they see as a Conservative Democratic Party...
It will not be progressives, angry at perceived surrender by the Obama administraion...

It will be the economy, and fear of having no job, of losing jobs, and of children unable to find jobs, and losing everything while Wallstreet dances

[Douglas Carpenter]

87. I would blame the economy

Gallop Poll: October 1983 – Mondale leads Reagan by a 50% to 44%//October 1979 – Carter leads Reagan 48% to 42%

http://people-press.org/1995/10/30/ignore-the-horse-race-pay-attention-to-the-trend/

If we look at what was happening at the time -this would tend to tell me that when incumbent presidents are facing an economic down turn or a perceived economic down turn they tend to become unpopular and lose. When incumbent presidents are facing an economic up turn or perceived economic up turn they tend to become popular and win. This has little to do with whether or not their policies are popular. Bill Clinton was horribly unpopular and his reelection was considered improbable when the economy was sluggish and every hint of scandal seemed to stick. His indiscretions were considered by the majority to be a real problem. When the economy went into upward mode he suddenly became popular and his indiscretions were then considered by the vast majority to be so unimportant that even the second impeachment by the House of Representatives in U.S. history along with a plausible accusation of perjury only increased his popularity.

[Hippo_Tron]

91. In a democracy, people get the government they deserve

[totodeinhere]

92. I voted other. You left the Republicans off from your list. If Obama loses it might be because

of the dirty tricks and election fraud that the GOP is famous for.

[vaberella]

97. The American people who didn't vote for him and gave it to the GOP.

At which point I will definitely leave America because I have nothing left here when people manage to abolish abortion, women, and bring back slavery.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

98. Why are we having a discussion like this right here right now?

Is the hypothetical assignation of blame for something that hasn't happened yet (and may never actually happen) really helpful here? :shrug:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

99. The Economy

.

[golfguru]

100. Ditto n/t

[BklnDem75]

101. I blame the idiots that either didn't vote or voted for someone else

You own your vote. Take responsibility for it.